“Today, I will love you as you are. Tomorrow, I will do the same.” What if we made this pledge to each other every single day?
What if we decided to stop judging each other based on race, gender, looks, wealth, lifestyle, belief system and trusted that each of us is on the path designed specifically for our individual soul?
What if we were kind, embraced our differences and lifted each other up when we witnessed one another struggling, rather than strike each other down?
What if we acted from a place of love, rather than a place of fear?
What if…we stopped making it so hard for each other?
Today, I will love you as you are. Tomorrow, I will do the same.
We’ve grown into a species of 7 billion people living on one small planet, bumping into each other (literally), sharing the air we breathe, sharing public spaces, leaving our DNA, germs and garbage everywhere.
We are the messiest, most destructive species on earth. We dump our garbage and effluent into the land and oceans providing our food, pump tons of toxins into the air, and then, we wonder why we’re all getting sick and how we got into this pandemic situation.
Our desire to travel globally, consume and purchase goods and services from around the world, and our desires to expand our business, recreational and investment interests into the global marketplace, have changed the way people, products, AND disease travel.
Blaming other countries, other races, even other animals, for this current pandemic is misplaced. With a few exceptions, we all own this mess.
I know I’m part of the problem. I’m part of a generation that consumes too much. I travel and I want to travel again. So, I will have to make decisions that keep myself and those I come into contact with, safe. I don’t see this as an infringement of my rights, I see this as a responsibility that comes with my right to live my life a certain way.
Unless we’re all prepared to stay in our boxes, stop traveling, start growing our own food, start buying local etc., another pandemic is in our future. Not because any one person is going to do one thing wrong, but because 7 billion people move around one little blue planet spreading germs, garbage and disease. 7 billion people who as a species, have not learned how to coexist with other life on earth.
Oh what a mess we’ve made. If we spent as much time owning our responsibilities to care for the planet and each other, as we do declaring “our rights” hmm, we might stand a chance.
Until we learn how to treat the planet and each other in ways that are gentle, respectful, loving and kind, we will continue down our garbage laden road, leaving a wake of destruction that ends with our extinction.
Life became easier when I surrendered my own tenacity and began to live with an open heart and an open mind.
There are things I’ve discovered and learned along the way, which I might never have unearthed if I had remained locked in my own stubbornness.
Our struggles often result from our inability to see the possibilities beyond our own thinking and the doctrines imposed on us.
Living with an open heart and mind means considering alternatives, actively listening to opinions different from our own, being kind before jumping to judgment and being aware of signs along the way pointing you in new directions.
Open minds and open hearts, have created more music, magic, poetry, peace, love and light in the world, then closed minds and cold hearts.
You wake up every day and decide what you will show the world.
Never revealing the secrets, the sadness, the longing and the struggles you hide.
Afraid to shine, you put on your mask, (rather poignant at this moment in time), and hide your gifts, your words, your hopes, your beauty, your light, from the judgement you fear.
You muster your courage, inhale and into the world you go, walking ever so carefully, so you don’t disturb or offend anyone along your path.
It’s exhausting. Is it time? to stop hiding, to show yourself, to share your light, to share your gifts, to share your words and your beauty, with the world?
There will be those who judge you because they don’t understand, don’t worry about them, you don’t need them to shine, you don’t need them to be yourself.
Then, there will be those who love you as you are. These are your people. They will wrap you in gratitude, kindness and lift you up so you can shine.
Healing begins when we accept ourselves, as we are, love ourselves, as we are, step into the world, as we are.
We shine brightest when we’re doing, being or become who we’re meant to be. All you have to do is SHINE.
Surround yourself with light ~ When we focus on the dark, negative aspects of life, this darkness begins to poison our minds, body’s and souls, making us sick, discouraged and depressed.
When we focus on the light, positive, beautiful aspects of life, we feel “light”, calm, peaceful and we’re able to heal our minds, body’s and souls.
You know toxic substances harm your internal well-being, likewise toxic thoughts, information, ideas and toxic people can alter your perspective, poison your life and make you ill.
Surround yourself with people and things, that bring you light, peace, healing and encourage you to shine. Toni O’K~ 🌹 ❤️
I woke this morning with a warm puppy snuggled into the nape of my neck. This tiny bundle of caramel coloured fur always makes me smile. As I scratched his belly, I heard the click of my coffee maker come on and smiled again, proud I had remembered to set the timer.
I wandered to the kitchen, poured a cup, turned on the fireplace, settle into my favourite chair with puppy in my lap, took that first bless’ed sip, and listened to the silence fall around me.
Most mornings start this way, calm, peaceful and reflective.
There was a time when my life was busy and noisy. I didn’t always appreciate the colours of the day, or have the time to slowly sip my coffee and gaze out the window.
Decades were spent on the move, hustling my boys to and from day-care, school, sports, and other activities. Bouncing between work, community services and my own educational pursuits, always busy, always rushing, always something to do, somewhere to go or someone waiting for something.
The “busy stuff” is the means needed to build our lives, but, the busy stuff doesn’t define our lives. It’s the simple beautiful moments that bring us joy and give meaning to the journeys we’re on.
Moments watching a child fall asleep in your lap because that’s where they feel safe, moments making messes and allowing pumpkin guts to fall on the floors and get stuck in your hair because they’re having fun, moments spent with two little guys on a skip-out day appreciating the wonder and silence of the forest or sitting in an open field, feeling content watching birds glide on the wind.
Then, there’s the quiet morning moments, when all the busy is behind you, those two little guys are grown and now its a puppy falling a sleep in your lap.
We need a balance of busy days and days when we’re able to just “be”. Days when we don’t just count our blessings, we live them, being fully present, taking in all the magic and meaning they bring. Because these are the days we will remember, these are the moments that will warm our hearts for ALL THE DAYS of our lives.
There is light within this messy, tangled, unconditioned 2020 tunnel we’re passing through.
You’ll find this light shining in the words, the wisdom, the hands, the acts of kindness and the hearts that capture your attention and hold you. Surrender, and let them hold you.
If you need to let your tears fall, let them fall. Let your tears take the the pain, fatigue, confusion and disappointment with them.
We will emerge from this year kinder, wiser and into better brighter days. Until then, find and hold on to the light that comforts you and provides you with shelter from the heaviness of this downpour,
The light and the warmth it brings always, without fail, returns☀️.
I know you feel weak and can not muster the strength to dream. So, this dream is for you. In this dream, you are loved. You do not judge yourself or measure your life or success against the lives of others. You have let go of behaviours, material possessions, substances and people that do not bring you joy. You are kind, compassionate and loving to yourself and others. You feel whole in who you are. You realize that “IT” all happened for a reason, even if “IT” was painful, it had purpose. You are able to forgive. You are healing. You are happy, healthy, loved, and creative. Your mind, body and spirit are peaceful and your journey now makes sense.
I dream of you enjoying warm sunny days and star lite nights, away from the glow of civilized chaos, melting into the stillness and healing embrace of the natural world.
If you’ve lost your way and can’t see the road ahead, my beautiful, amazing, soul friend, this dream is for you.
The Whimsey Angel 